Political parties prepare the electoral model: One, three or six constituencies?


The main parliamentary political parties work on coordinating their positions to changes in election laws that cover the election model. The ruling SDSM stated that it is in favor of one electoral unit with open lists, and expects all relevant political parties to agree with its proposal.
– The census, according to my information, has not been discussed yet, it is first necessary to agree whether everyone has the will to move towards transformation of the electoral model – said the coordinator of the SDSM Parliamentary Group, Tomislav Tuntev, adding that there are disagreements with certain political parties about the need to change the electoral model.

VMRO-DPMNE’s coordinator, Dragan Danev, did not comment on the outcome of the talks of the party commissions, but stressed that he expects a quality Election Code. Rexhail Ismaili, the coordinator of the DUI parliamentary group, says that their proposal is an electoral model with three constituencies.
– DUI is in favor of three constituencies, in order to have representation in the Assembly from all regions. If this does not pass, we remain on the old solution with six, because we consider that the electoral model with one constituency does not correspond to all citizens, that is, to all regions of the country – said Ismaili, adding that many regions would remain without representation in the Assembly with just one constituency.
BESA MP Fadil Zendeli said that they consider six constituencies as too many for a state and territory as small as Macedonia, and that they are advocating for a lower number of constituencies and open lists.

– According to the functioning of this system, we consider that there should be fewer constituencies. Whether there will be one, two, three, that is an issue that can be agreed upon by political parties, experts and all those interested in contributing to this issue. As a political entity, we are for a proportional system with open lists. In this way, we can contribute more to the democratization of the society and to more qualified personnel in the Assembly in the next elections – said Zendeli.

Meanwhile, in an ad for election of new members of the State Election Commission (SEC), which the Parliament published on Monday, the parties expect quality candidates to apply, the choice to be timely, and with the consensus they have reached for the transitional solution of the SEC functionality of this body is enabled, which, besides the elections, is also competent for organizing referendum and verification of mandates.
With the published ad, the SEC should receive a new composition with a term of six months, until the moment when the amendments to the package of laws of the election legislation are regulated. According to the current legal solution, four members will be from the government, three from the opposition, as well as a president of the SEC from the opposition parties. The opposition VMRO-DPMNE says that, at the time being, it is still unknown who will be the head of the State Election Commission.